Shireen (Kerry Ingram) met with a tragic end in episode 9 of "Game of Thrones" Season 5. Photo: HBO

If one were to have polled fans before episode 9 of “Game of Thrones” Season 5, it is likely that the majority of viewers might not have been able to remember the name of Stannis Baratheon’s (Stephen Dillane) young daughter, Shireen (Kerry Ingram). Other than teaching Ser Davos (Liam Cunningham) to read, she had been relatively inconsequential in her three seasons on the show. However, no one will be able to forget her tragic exit from the HBO series Sunday, and actress Kerry Ingram, suddenly a big name in the “Thrones” community, tweeted Tuesday to console distraught fans.

Shireen Baratheon, the soft-spoken, erudite princess, is still alive and kicking in George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” books series, so many viewers were shocked and upset when the show killed off one of its most innocent characters. However, Ingram let fans know that she had no ill will toward “Game of Thrones.”

See Ingram’s tweet below:

Thank you for all the lovely messages about episode 9, I've had a wonderful journey with @GameOfThrones over the last 3 years. #ripShireen❤️

Shireen was sacrificed on orders from her father and burned at the stake in episode 9. Stannis had been advised to do so by Melisandre (Carice van Houten), who has a history of using the mysterious, magic power of royal blood to further her king’s agenda. In this case, the priestess believed sacrificing Shireen would guarantee victory in Stannis’ invasion of Winterfell. The king had been hesitant, but after being raided by Bolton troops and losing all of his army’s provisions, he reconsidered, resulting in one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the series’ history.

Will Stannis’ painful sacrifice pay off? Will the show continue to diverge from its source material? Fans will have to keep watching to find out. The “Game of Thrones” Season 5 finale airs Sunday at 10 p.m. EDT on HBO.

Watch the promo for the Season 5 finale below:

Can you forgive Stannis for letting Shireen be sacrificed? Tweet your thoughts to @Ja9GarofaloTV.